Saratoga  When Jim Schultz retires from his position as superintendent of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District at the end of this school year, one of his first retirement activities will be touring Rome, Italy.

“I was a Latin teacher for years so that idea of traveling to see Rome has always been a lifelong dream,” said Schultz, 62. “Summers are too busy around here to do that, so that would be an opportunity.”

Schultz has been at the helm of the district for seven years but has racked up 40 years as a district staff member and many more as a student. He said his emphasis on working as a team was a staple of his tenure.

“Our focus on the power of teams has been a real focus … we talk about how we interact with kids. My goal has been to get us all focused in that direction and moving for kids as a primary objective,” said Schultz. “I hope I’ve had a small influence on that.”

Transparency in the district has also improved leaps and bounds on his watch, said Schultz.

“As I look back over the 40 years, certainly our budget process has become very transparent.

We’ve been broadcasting on the internet, recording sessions, having multiple sessions with hundreds of people turning out to voice their feelings and I think part of the vitality of BHBL is people feel they have a voice here and I think I’ve helped support that value,” said Schultz.

Putting a continuous emphasis on the value of 21st Century skills has also been a recent priority district-wide.

“I really value that perspective of respecting our history; who we are as a district but also looking toward 21st Century skills and the impact of GlobalFoundries on BHBL,” said Schultz. “Setting the stage so our students can be successful in life.”